Canadian journalist Peter Morton dead at 58

Respected Canadian journalist Peter Morton died early Wednesday at his Washington-area home at the age of 58.

Morton was a veteran trade, economic and political reporter and columnist. He wrote for major publications during his long career, including the Financial Post in Washington, D.C., and the Calgary Herald. In the final years of the Toronto native’s life, he was a regular political commentator for numerous publications, including iPolitics.

Friends, family and former colleagues across North America were shocked by his unexpected death. According to his wife, Cathie, he died of a heart attack.

In an interview with iPolitics, Cathie said that outside of his family, her husband’s ultimate passion was journalism.

“He loved being a journalist. He loved writing. He loved seeing his name in print. He really took so much pride in what he wrote,” said Cathie through tears.

Morton’s journalism career started on the Ryerson University campus, where he worked as the managing editor of the student newspaper, the Eyeopener, while completing his journalism degree. He graduated in 1976.

Morton then went on to work at the Calgary Herald from 1976 to 1987 as a city hall bureau chief, assistant editor and business writer.

Edmonton Journal reporter Sheila Pratt worked alongside Morton when he was at the Calgary Herald. As a young reporter, she appreciated his guidance.

“We worked together at Calgary city hall when I was just starting out and from his generous ways, I learned so many things about covering stories, teasing out the ‘truth’ and keeping a sense of humour in the inevitable cynical moments of this profession,” said Pratt in an email.

“Always a bright light, Peter will be missed by all.”

Morton went on to cover trade for the Financial Post in Ottawa before moving to Washington, D.C. where he worked as bureau chief from 1996 to 2008. It was in Washington where Morton delved into the stories he was truly passionate about — bilateral issues, softwood and agriculture stories.

Veteran trade negotiator Peter Clark recalls Morton fondly, saying his friend will be remembered as an excellent journalist, but also for his quick wit and infectious laugh.

“Peter enjoyed life and his work,” said Clark. “We travelled together when he covered trade negotiations. In Miami (in 2003), when riots cancelled an NGO meeting we were going to cover, we found steak house with large screen TV for the evening and used it as our base of operations to keep track of things by phoning our US, Brazilian and Canadian contacts. Peter was very resourceful.”

Globe and Mail national business correspondent Barrie McKenna, who worked at the Globe and Mail’s Washington bureau when Morton was there with the Post, said Morton will be remembered as a talented journalist and trade expert.

“I think he’ll be remembered for some of his great trade stuff,” said McKenna. “That was his bread and butter over the years. But he did a lot of other things, and was a very skilled and fast writer.”

Morton’s interest in trade and economics stretched far beyond the newsroom. From 1985 to 1986, he received a Southam Fellowship to study economics at the University of Toronto. Cathie said Morton also did their taxes, as he had his stockbroker licence.

Morton won a Dalton Robertson Award, Canadian Petroleum Association Award and Canadian Business Writing Award. He also won a Canadian Readers’ Digest Story of the Year award for his work on Canadian MPs receiving two pensions. That story eventually led to an overhaul of the pension system.

A seasoned traveler, Morton received a number of fellowships from the French government and the Asia-Pacific Foundation in Vancouver. Morton held both Canadian and American citizenship.

When Morton left the Financial Post in 2008, he continued writing for publications such as iPolitics and Business Without Borders. In the final years of his life, Cathie said her husband enjoyed freelancing from their Maryland home where they lived with their daughter and grandson.

Morton is survived by Cathie, his four daughters — Jennifer, Leslie, Courtney and Audrey — and his six grandchildren.